grammar news · 26 Community News 34 Friends of Grammar 35 From the Archives Grammar News No. 122...

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grammar newsNumber 122 – Apr i l 2017

Front cover: Melbourne Grammar School Symphony Orchestra gave performances in Berlin, Prague, and Vienna as part of their European Tour in December 2016. Here, the group performs at Mayakovsky Hall, Prague. Interestingly, four of the top five 2016 VCE students (based on ATAR) were members of the touring Orchestra. Photograph by Year 10 student, Harry Coote

Opposite: Alice, Year 5, works on her coding and robotics project

Grammar News is published for the Melbourne Grammar School community

Published by: The Lodge, Melbourne Grammar School, 355 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, Victoria 3004

Telephone: +61 3 9865 7555

Email: [email protected]

Publications Coordinator: Drew Gamble

Photographs by: Nic Bills, James Braund, Mark Chew, Harry Coote (Year 10), Stephan Dessants, Drew Gamble, James Grant, Katherine Merrigan,

Matt Smith and more

Melbourne Grammar School respects the privacy of its community members and is bound by the National Privacy Principles under the

Commonwealth Privacy Act. For a copy of the School’s Privacy Policy please visit the School’s website at mgs.vic.edu.au or contact the School

on +61 3 9865 7555.

New staffThe Melbourne Grammar community has welcomed a number of new staff members since August 2016. We wish them every success in the important roles that they will play in the life of the School.

From left, back row: Tony Corr, Head of Staff Development (SS); Bill Lane, Web Developer (IT); Megan Nasir, Library Technician (SS); Emma Cornelius, Classroom Teacher (GH); Chris Drummond, Teacher of Visual Arts (SS); John Linke, Teacher of PE (SS); Daniel Perry, Classroom Teacher (GH); Nathan Boller, Deputy Head - Administration and Pastoral Care (GH); Justin Glenn, Teacher of Philosophy and Religious Studies (SS); Tom Finney, Classroom Teacher (GH); Dominic Jackman, Teacher of English (SS); Joseph Yigit, Teacher of Maths and PE (WH); David Waddell, Classroom Teacher (GH)

Front row: Eliza Feiner, Teacher of Learning Strategies (WH); Isabella Xu, Teacher of Chinese and Japanese (SS); Tara Geraghty, Accounts Payable Officer (FA); Sam Champion de Crespigny, Classroom Teacher (GH); Lauren Smith, Co-ordinator of Drama (WH); Mary Ross-Volk, Teacher of English (SS); Royce Helm, Head of Grimwade House; Helen Voogt-Dillon, Director of Human Resources; Roy Kelley, Headmaster; Nick Evans, Deputy Headmaster/Head of Senior School; Emma Verge, Administration Assistant (GH); Katherine Sleath, Teacher of Science (SS); Emma Finster, Pastoral Care Coordinator (GH); Steph Fan, School Nurse (SS); Rebecca Seel, Teacher of Science (SS); Melissa Vecchio, Teacher of Psychology (SS); Jenn Roberts, Teacher of English and History (WH)

Absent: Anna Varghese, Teacher of French (SS), Frances Lee-Archer, Teachers’ Aide (GH)

GH = Grimwade House, WH = Wadhurst, SS = Senior School, FA = Financial Administration, IT = Information Technology

Grammar News No. 122 – April 20172

About this issueWelcome to the April 2017 edition of Grammar News.

In this edition, we continue our exploration of the School’s values with a focus on integrity. We hear from the Headmaster, the Deputy Headmaster and the Captain of School on their views about this topic and ask other members of the School community how this value impacts on their life.

An update on 2016 VCE results and student destinations is included, together with several related stories of success. It is pleasing the see the diverse range of courses our students are entering.

I draw your attention to the call for involvement in the upcoming 100th anniversary of Grimwade House celebrations, scheduled for 2018, on page 29. Don’t miss your opportunity to participate in the forthcoming festivities.

We are always keen to receive feedback on School publications. If you have a comment or suggestion about Grammar News, please pass on your thoughts via [email protected].

Wendy Lawler Editor

In this issue 4 From the School Council

5 From the Headmaster

6 2016 VCE Results & Destinations

9 A Question of Integrity

11 Shakespeare at Melbourne Grammar

14 Grimwade House

16 Wadhurst

18 Senior School

20 News

24 The Old Melburnians

26 Community News

34 Friends of Grammar

35 From the Archives

3Grammar News No. 122 – April 2017

mailto:[email protected]

From the School Council

As stated in Melbourne Grammar School’s Constitution, the responsibility for the oversight of the affairs of the School is vested in the School Council. Our main responsibilities are to oversee the School’s governance, general strategic direction, and ongoing financial viability. We are also utterly dedicated to providing the Headmaster and this School with all the affordable resources possible to provide our students, and future generations, with the best education possible.

Of the thirteen members of the present School Council, five are current parents, six are past parents and five are Old Melburnians. To assist in overseeing the governance of the School, there are also nine Committees reporting into the School Council: Admissions; Building & Grounds; Finance, Planning and Audit; The Melbourne Grammar School Foundation; Investment Management; Marketing and Communications; Nominating; Risk Management and (Staff) Superannuation Policy. Many busy and talented people give up a lot of their valuable time to serve on those Committees.

In November last year, at a delightful retirement dinner in his honour in the Morrow Room, we thanked Ross Adler AC for his outstanding contributions to the School Council over many years. Ross joined the Melbourne Grammar School Foundation in May 2001. He was its President from 2002 to 2008. He joined the School Council in May 2005 and became Deputy Chair in May 2010. As the new Chair of Council, I particularly appreciated Ross’s wise and incisive counsel, across a wide variety of matters. He joined the Finance & Planning Committee, as its Chairman, in June 2008 and he joined the Nominating Committee in November 2008. His loyalty to the School and his commitment to act always in the School’s best interests never, ever faltered, and for that we remain very, very grateful.

I am delighted to report that Council member, Lloyd Thomas, has agreed to succeed Ross as the new Vice-Chairman of Council, for a two-year term. As most of you will know, Lloyd is also the current President of The Foundation, as well as a member of the Nominating Committee. I am also delighted that Council Member Mary Clark has agreed to fill the vacancy on the Nominating Committee. Mary is also the current Chair of the Marketing and Communications Committee.

And, we warmly welcomed Geoff Cohen (OM 1982) to his first Council meeting in February. Geoff has succeeded Ross Adler as Chairman of the Finance, Planning and Audit Committee. Geoff has extensive experience in the finance industry, both as a corporate adviser and as a senior banking executive. He and his wife, Tracey, have a daughter and two sons, one an OM and the other a current student. When those rare opportunities present themselves, Geoff is also a keen golfer.

The School Council is looking forward to another busy and stimulating year. The following will provide you with a taste of some of the issues with which we shall be dealing. Foremost among our Governance responsibilities will be the monitoring of compliance with Ministerial Order 870 relating to Child Safe Standards. The Headmaster has written to the School Community on this matter and drawn attention to the Child Safe Policies on the School website. We shall also be monitoring very carefully all developments relating to the Melbourne Metropolitan Railways Authority project. Anyone passing the School will have seen the pleasing progress as the Geoff Handbury Science and Technology Hub begins to rise excitingly from the ground. And, Council member, Beryl Gregory, has attended planning meetings for the centenary of the first classes at Grimwade House, which will take place in 2018.

Michael Bartlett Chairman of Council

School Council membership


Mr Michael Bartlett

From the Headmaster

Mr Roy Kelley

To Thine Own Self Be TrueIn Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, Polonius declares to his son, Laertes, who is departing for Paris;

This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man. Farewell, my blessing season this in thee!

Whilst the phrase is somewhat ironic, given that Polonius was a man of rather questionable morality, the opening line has become a well-worn phrase often uttered by people concerned about the importance of integrity. The Melbourne Grammar School Vision Statement nominates integrity as a core value and states the following; “We value strength of character, honesty and courage, guided by a strong code of moral behaviour.”

In today’s frenetic world of immediacy and rapid change, the need to have a strong moral code to navigate and guide people of all ages is undoubted. A phrase I recently read described the need for schools to help students deal with ‘the washing machine of the 21st century’. It is a meaningful metaphor. However, the reality is that many previous eras and generations have also experienced enormous change. I remember my father recounting to me his first views of the initial versions of a motor car, an aeroplane and a rocket ship, all before he had reached the age of 40. It is the case that each generation has a view of itself as being uniquely challenged by rapid change and, thus, has a sometimes exaggerated view its own experiences.

Nevertheless, emerging from any form of social turbulence is the view that certain ‘old’ values and beliefs are no longer valid. Integrity, however, is a value that is as true and required as ever. The American writer, David V Hicks, once wrote that social values are important in ‘acknowledging the Eternal in the midst of the transitory.’ Strength of character, honesty and courage are as important today as they have been in any era. I remember reading about Winston Churchill who, during the 1930s, was criticised, mocked and considered an outcast in his own political party for wanting to defy Adolf Hitler whilst the then Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, was being feted for appeasing and even praising the Nazi dictator. Churchill nearly forfeited his political career (not for the first, nor last time!) for his courage and beliefs. Moving your moral perspective ‘according to the way in which the wind blows’ can be dangerous, as too often it values popularity over substance.

Of course, integrity has equal applicability to both the individual and the institution. In a school setting, the entire organisation must be guided by a strong code of moral behaviour. In this way integrity refers to the entire entity operating as one undivided and cohesive school. This is why a vision, mission and value statement is important, as it creates pillars of belief and guidance for students, staff and parents, enacted through a variety of programmes, activities and actions. For Melbourne Grammar students, integrity as being ‘the state of unity and the whole’ is reflected through something as simple as wearing the school uniform, through to the more complicated need to provide support for each other, either through mentoring, teamwork or friendship.

In conclusion, integrity is a very important Melbourne Grammar value which permeates through all that we do. The obvious question is to consider if we have a desire to follow Shakespeare’s advice ‘to thine own self be true? As individuals, and as a school, MGS would have it no other way, as surely as ‘night follows day’.

Roy Kelley Headmaster


2016 VCE Results & Destinations

Mr Roy Kelley Headmaster congratulates Martin Lee on his academic success

Academic Head of School (Dux) for 2016, Martin Lee, was one of 35 students across the State to receive the maximum ATAR of 99.95.

In addition to his exceptional academic performance, Martin was a member of the debating, badminton and table tennis teams, the Science and Technology Committee, and the Symphony Orchestra during his final year of schooling. He also volunteered in the Smith Family tutoring programme.

Martin advises current VCE students to remove all distractions (including their phone) from their study area and to use their time effectively. “Obviously hard work is required to do well,” says Martin. “It’s also crucial to make good use of class and study times, and not to leave things to the last minute.”

Martin is currently studying a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Melbourne. Together with Mark Salamy, he received a University of Melbourne National Scholarship, through the prestigious Chancellor’s Scholars Program. At this stage, Martin is intending to pursue a career in commercial law. Studies in the US are also a possibility and he believes this may open other doors for him in the future.

2016 Dux – Martin Lee2016 VCE resultsMelbourne Grammar School’s 2016 Year 12 students completed a very successful year with excellent VCE results. The School is very proud of their achievements.

“The Class of 2016 worked hard and with great focus. The VCE results reflect their effort, perseverance and capabilities,” says Mr Roy Kelley, Headmaster.

The group has a particularly wide breadth of talents, reflected in numerous ways including the range of subjects in which perfect scores were attained.

“It is important to recognise that these outcomes would not be possible without the demonstrable care and dedication of our exceptional teaching staff, and the ongoing support of family members,” adds Mr Kelley.

Highlights include:

• The median ATAR for Melbourne Grammar School students in 2016 was 88.1.

• 10% of our students achieved an ATAR of 99 or above, placing them in the top 1% in Victoria. A further 26% of our students are in the top 5%, achieving an ATAR of 95 or above. 44% of Melbourne Grammar students achieved an ATAR of 90 or above.

• Nine students received perfect study scores of 50. Subjects included English, History: Revolutions, Mathematical Methods, Philosophy, Physical Education, and Physics.

• More than 49% of study (subject) scores were graded as A or A+.

“I commend the Class of 2016 on their VCE results, and on their significant contributions to the School and to the broader community during their time with us. I wish them well as they step into the next stage of their life,” says Mr Kelley.


No. VTAC Offers by Field of Study

Agriculture, Environments and related studies 8 3%

Architecture and Building 18 7%

Creative Arts 12 5%

Education 0 0%

Engineering and related technologies 9 4%

Health, Biomedical Sciences and related studies 13 5%

Medicine 4 2%

Information Technology 8 3%

Management and Commerce 84 35%

Natural and Physical Sciences 26 11%

Society and Culture (incl. Arts & Law) 61 25%

243# 100%

Student Destinations

Australian Catholic University 3 1.5%

Australian National University 9 5%

Deakin University 14 7%

La Trobe University 3 1.5%

Monash University 57 29%

RMIT 22 11%

Swinburne 5 2.5%

The University of Melbourne 62 31%

Victoria University 3 1.5%

Other: interstate * 5 2.5%

Other: overseas ** 7 3.5%

TAFE 6 3%

Work 2 1%

198 100%

Class of 2016 DestinationsThe 198 students who completed VCE at Melbourne Grammar School in 2016 head into a wide range of destinations. All students who applied for a tertiary course were offered a place during the Round One offer period. The two students who did not apply for a tertiary place are working full-time.

Many of the cohort applied to interstate institutions with more than 40 students receiving an offer on this basis. Interstate destinations include Australian National University (ANU), the University of Tasmania, the University of Adelaide, and Bond University.

There has been a significant increase in the acceptance of course offers in the Management and Commerce disciplines, which have been consistently the most popular areas over the past few years. Students’ interest in Arts & Humanities continues to be strong. Seven students will commence studying Law in Victoria in 2017.

There has been a slight increase in the interest in Information Technology areas, with a slight decrease in Engineering. However, it should be noted that many students who study Science at the University of Melbourne (9 offers) often aspire to engineering as a postgraduate option. We have four students studying Medicine this year. Those who aspire to study in the health professions will be starting their Biomedical Science degree at Monash (4) or Biomedicine at Melbourne (9) as a pathway to the MD degree.

It is interesting to note that six students have been offered Agriculture at the University of Melbourne. The introduction of the new Design degree at the University of Melbourne has attracted a lot of interest; its entrance score was 88.25. Eight students are commencing this course in 2017.

There was a slight decrease in the number of students applying to overseas universities this year. Several students are still awaiting their outcome of their applications. However, the University of Papua New Guinea, Imperial College London, St Mary’s University (London), Cambridge University, Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (Switzerland), Princeton University, and Berklee College of Music (USA) are known destinations for our students.

The movement in ATARs reported in the media does not appear to have had a major impact on the expected offers based on the students’ VCE results and aspirations. Biomedicine at Melbourne dropped from 98.30 to 96.80 due to an increase in offers made, and Arts at Melbourne went up from 88.85 to 89.30. Most of the major combinations at Monash stayed the same or slightly decreased.

Kirsten Larn Director of Career Development

# The number of fields of study is larger than the number of students due to counting some double degrees in two categories.

* The University of Adelaide; University; University of Tasmania; Bond University

** The University of Papua New Guinea; Imperial College London; St Mary’s University (London); Cambridge University; Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (Switzerland); Princeton University; Berklee College of Music (USA)


2016 VCE Results & Destinations

Top students, Top Arts

From left: Ms Helen Kennedy, Teacher of Visual Communication and Design; George McGrath; Ms Cat Poljski, Head of Creative and Performing Arts; Hugo Blomley

‘August’ Top Arts artwork by Hugo Blomley

‘Who cares (Sushi shark)?’ Top Arts artwork by George McGrath

Only 47 VCE students were selected to participate in the exhibition this year. Melbourne Grammar is the only school to be represented in both subjects – Hugo studied Art and George studied Studio Arts (as a Year 11 student). Both students achieved outstanding study scores in their respective subjects.

Hugo is working hard to earn enough money to live in London for the latter part of 2017. “I want to make art on my own terms, without the constraints of VCE and I want to explore the global arts scene,” he says. Hugo has deferred his place in the Bachelor of Fine Art at Monash University.

“I am really excited about the Exhibition and seeing my work in a gallery space,” says George. He will complete VCE this year, studying Units 3 & 4 in Art, Media, and Visual Communication Design.

The Top Arts Exhibition is open to the public and runs until Sunday 16 July 2017.

Artworks by Hugo Blomley (OM 2016) and Year 12 student George McGrath are part of the Top Arts Exhibition currently being shown at the The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia at Federation Square. Top Arts is a collection of the very best artworks produced by VCE Unit 3 & 4 Art and Studio Arts students in the preceding year.


A Question of Integrity

Last year a group of us were keen on getting the Gay Straight Alliance up and running. I was concerned that this might not sit comfortably with some people. But in that particular instance, we thought it was more important that we stood by what we believed to be important to us and to the nature of the whole School, so we continued even in light of a possible clash of values. Luckily the School shared our viewpoint.

Nick E: The Gay Straight Alliance is a great initiative and has worked well. However, hypothetically speaking, if you had a sense that continuing with the establishment of the Gay Straight Alliance would split the School community, that it would cause conflict, would you still have gone ahead with it?

Nick B: I definitely would have had to consider our plans more seriously because the conflict arising would have been something I would have been responsible for. I would have had more reservations, but I believe that the long-term benefits would have outweighed any initial conflict that would have arisen. We might have had to give more thought to how we introduced the Alliance.

Anyway, if there was initial conflict, it would demonstrate why the Alliance was so healthy and necessary to introduce it to the School.

Nick E: What do you understand by integrity?

Nick B: For me integrity is about holding your own set of personal values and having the courage to act on these, even in light of confrontation. It can be easy to discard your values in difficult circumstances, and to drop your sense of morality. It is important that you don’t.

Nick E: So, is a lack of integrity the inability to live by the values that you set yourself?

Nick B: Yes. It is so much more difficult to do certain things with integrity, rather than to do them with no sense of moral obligation or underpinning set of values.

Nick E: There is a very fine line between being completely true to your own sense of integrity and being entirely dogmatic. When are there circumstances where it’s difficult to hold true to your values? When might you need to modify them according to the circumstance in which you find yourself?

Nick B: In a school environment, it can be hard to stick to an opinion or set of values when a larger contingent of people isn’t supportive of that view.

Year 12 student, Nick Barlett, is the 2017 Captain of School. He recently met up with Mr Nick Evans, Deputy Headmaster and Head of Senior School, to discuss the notion of integrity. Here are their thoughts.

A School Captain’s perspective


A Question of Integrity cont.

Nick E: Is it more important what your values are or the fact that you remain true to them, or is it a combination of both?

Nick B: I think most people would say it is a combination of both. For the most part, I don’t particularly care what people’s values are – it is more important to me that you abide by them because I don’t think we are in any position to judge the values of other people.

While I understand the principle of cultural relativism can be important, obviously if someone’s values are barbaric or without any sense of goodness, we need to question those values and ask why that person has come to that set of morals or values.

But, in general, I think the most important thing is to stick to your values, which may take courage.

Nick E: I am not sure I agree with you. As a historian, I have spent time examining people who would argue that they stuck to their values, and one could admire them for sticking to their values, but their values were abhorrent.

Nick B: Oh no, I agree. If their values were abhorrent, then that is different. I suppose it is a question of degree. There cannot be absolute judgement.

I can admire someone’s integrity at sticking with their values without sharing their values. But I acknowledge the essential truth of what you have said. There are certain points at which it doesn’t matter how steadfastly someone holds to their values, if their values are so foreign or abhorrent to me, then I simply cannot admire them.

Nick E: Can values change during your life?

Nick B: Yes. Obviously, the way I perceive something to be right or wrong and the value set I have is going to be different to, for example, my parents because of the difference in age and the experiences that we have. I think they can change throughout a lifetime. Experience will shape the type of person that you are, the values that you have and the courage you have to uphold them.

Nick E: Do you think it is easier to act with integrity when you are your age than when you are older?

Nick B: I recognise that I don’t have the experience or responsibilities that you do. Sometimes I imagine you must be bound by those responsibilities and have to adjust your principles or ethics or values around them. I think it is much easier for passion to rule over logic when you are younger and without so many responsibilities.

Nick E: So, is there a potential for a different type of integrity to emerge? For example, I feel strongly about the welfare of the School and everyone within it. This underpins my decision making. Is it possible to act with integrity when, and I am not saying that it has, my decisions conflict with my own personal views?

Nick B: Many things in life are a compromise. That’s the nature of working together to create a harmonious, productive community. However, it seems to me that you could only perform in a professional role if the values of the organisation and your own values are mostly consistent.

Values have a subjective nature. There must be some wriggle room within them. But, in the end, it is really a question of integrity.

About Nick BartlettNick Barlett is an outstanding Melbourne Grammar School student. An exemplary scholar, Nick was recently awarded Academic Colours on the basis of his A+ Grades in the Year 11 Examinations in 2016. Nick studied VCE Unit 3 & 4 History: Revolutions during Year 11, achieving a perfect study (subject) score of 50. He was a member of last year’s State championship debating team and has been awarded Debating Colours.

A keen sportsman, Nick has been awarded Football First colours. He has been an active member of the music community, participating in a range of ensembles.

From left: Morgan Galea, Co-Vice Captain of School; Nick Bartlett, Captain of School; Mr Nick Evans, Deputy Headmaster & Head of Senior School; Rich Bartlett, Co-Vice Captain of School.

This is an unusual Captains cohort in that all three boys are twins. Nick & Rich are twin brothers; Morgan has a twin sister Madeleine, Drama Captain at Melbourne Girls Grammar


Shakespeare at Melbourne Grammar

Shakespeare and his relevance today When studying Shakespeare, students are able to ask Hamlet about life and death when he is in the graveyard, chat with Romeo about falling in love with Juliet in the banquet scene, and engage with Feste from Twelfth Night (the ‘fool’ and ‘corrupter of words’) over the nature of reality in Illyria. Surely the splendour of language, the universality of plot, and the understanding of human nature resonates with students in the 21st century.

I have always found arguments that arise from time to time over teaching the canon rather silly. Of course, we should teach the classics. Of course, we should admit new voices into the curriculum less we grow stale. Why must one approach be more relevant than the other?

Stephen Dessants Head of English

Year 12 Literature students enjoyed a performance of ‘Twelfth Night’ during the Shakespeare Under the Stars 2017 season in the Royal Botanic Gardens

Shakespeare inside and outside the classroomAt Melbourne Grammar School, aspects of Shakespeare are studied at Grimwade House and Wadhurst through literacy and drama related programmes. Year 9 – 11 English students study a Shakespeare play each year. Literature students read a play in Years 10 – 12. The Quad Play complements these ‘in the classroom’ activities by performing a Shakespearean production each year.

It was phenomenologist, Edmund Husserl, who said “all consciousness is consciousness of something”. He might as well have spoken about Shakespeare’s creativity and the reason he is still relevant.

Creativity is inexpressive in isolation. It needs ‘something’ and the greatest something in history from my perspective is William Shakespeare. Shakespeare was part prophecy and part word painting where the divine and the human engage in that which forms a story.

It may involve a character reflecting universal forms or someone rare and remarkable; regardless the plot and persons are applicable to all ages and publics. His accounts encompass the spin of imagination: real, virtual, and fantastic. He speaks to us in today’s whispers of yesterday’s conversations.

Shakespeare was the essence of fancy, not oriented by the linearity of any clock but rather by its composition, the being in a human being. His sketches of characters were not only drawn but pitched to some bigger design.

Like a treasure hunter, Shakespeare sought the private troves of the collective unconscious for the buried relics of our nature. He was a master potter of linguistic vessels. And yet, he cherished the uniqueness of our silent and singular worlds.

In his creative walks, he found a cosmological leather for a different kind of boot. Shakespeare, in Melbourne Grammar terms, explored beyond the gates to topographical points in the mapping of future places.

In considering ‘relevance’, one must ask about the work having a direct bearing on our lives, being still treasured, valued, and understood by young people.


Shakespeare cont.

King Lear lights up the Quad

About the Quad PlayThe Quad Play has been an integral part of the School’s annual performing arts calendar since 1974. Originally conceived by Headmaster Mr Nigel Creese, it was intended to provide a counterpoint to existing indoor productions.

Always based on a strong foundation of excellence, the Quad Play has evolved over the years. Unlike the effective use of Melbourne Grammar buildings which characterise current productions, early sets comprised a ‘black box’ stage. The introduction of scaffolding for audience seating in 1991 enabled a more flexible use of the space.

The Quad Play has predominantly presented productions of Shakespeare, though other renaissance plays and Greek tragedies have occasionally been performed.

Energetic acting, exciting staging and perceptive direction combined to deliver an outstanding 2017 Quad Play. Produced and directed by Ms Sharon Mulready, Head of Literature, students from Melbourne Grammar School and Melbourne Girls Grammar School (MGGS) came together to perform King Lear. All the actors delivered top-line performances revealing a great depth of understanding of the nuances of the play.

“I thoroughly enjoyed playing the role of Edgar,” says Tom Garratt, Year 12. “Acting from one role to the next provides the opportunity to inhibit distinct characters, who can be extreme, but also overlap with the familiar. Edgar and other characters in the production are very complex. It was a pleasant and rewarding challenge performing this role alongside friends from Melbourne Grammar and MGGS.”

Cloaked in Victorian steampunk, the production enthralled audiences. The magical atmosphere naturally generated by the historic Quad buildings was overlaid with imaginative lighting. (Imagine the change in emotion when shifting green light presaged King Lear’s descent into madness or when ominous red light provided a setting for the blinding of Gloucester.) The unexpected but engaging costumes and make-up added to the visual feast.

“It was a delight to work with the cast and crew on this difficult play which presented many challenges, not the least of which was the requirement for teenagers to play characters in their 60s and 70s,” says Ms Mulready. “I am very grateful for the backstage assistance from OMs, in particular, Richard Burman, who has supervised make-up for the Quad Play since its inception.”

Richard Burman (OM 1955) celebrated his 80th birthday by leading the Quad Play make-up team. This is Richard’s 50th year of supervising the make-up for Senior School productions.


Grimwade House

Mr Kelley visits Year One Welcome Mr Boller

Headmaster, Mr Roy Kelley, regularly visits Grimwade House classes. During his time with Year 1B earlier this year Mr Kelley shared his family photos with the group. After leading a class discussion, Mr Kelley interacted with individual students as they completed their work.

The children were excited to meet Mr Kelley. They were keen to tell him about their own family and discuss other ‘important’ matters with him. In turn, Mr Kelley says, “Meeting Grimwade House students is always a pleasure. They often bring a new perspective to a topic, and their delight and enthusiasm for learning reminds me why I became a teacher in the first place.”

Mr Kelley adds, “My visits serve a practical purpose as well. I am able to keep an up-to-date picture of the teaching and learning activities and environment at Grimwade House. This helps me shape strategic imperatives for the whole School.”

The position of Deputy Head, Administration and Pastoral Care at Grimwade House has two important foci – ensuring teacher-student and teacher-parent relationships are working well, and that the School values are ‘alive’ within Grimwade House – according to Mr Nathan Boller.

Commencing in the role in 2017, Mr Boller joins the School with extensive educational experience, both in Australia and overseas. Most recently Mr Boller held the position Deputy Head Pastoral Care and Welfare in a highly-regarded Prep – Year 8 school in England.

Teaching children about values is linked to the recognition and consequence model at Grimwade House. “We cannot assume that children understand values like integrity and leadership,” explains Mr Boller. “We need to help them define the concepts, and give them age-appropriate opportunities to model it, recognising them in positive ways when they do.”

“The realities of life for some children and families can be difficult to cope with,” says Mr Boller. “As a School, we are well placed to assist students, in particular, to deal with challenging and unexpected circumstances.”

And it is not only students and parents who deal with new situations on a regular basis. “The demands of the 21st century continually ask for more of us as educators,” says Mr Boller. “We need to respond in kind, and supporting teachers through periods of change and transition is another focus for me.”

“I am delighted that Nathan has joined the staff at Grimwade House,” says Head Mr Royce Helm. “We are in the early stages of significant change within the School and Nathan’s experience will be invaluable in working with all community members through the transition.

It’s our 100th birthdayGrimwade House celebrates 100 years in 2018, and we’d like you to join in the festivities. See page 29 for more information.


Ready for the future through STEMThere is no question that the evolution of digital technology will continue to occur at a rapid pace. “We want our students to be confident with, and adaptable to, new technologies as they emerge,” says Mr Matt Smith, eLearning Coordinator. “This is why we focus on the broader capabilities of strategic thinking and problem solving as well as core skill sets, within a technological context, through our STEM programme.”

STEM is firmly embedded within the curriculum at Grimwade House through dedicated Digital Technology classes in Years 5 and 6, and integration into units of inquiry across the School at all levels. However, students are also offered a range of additional opportunities to explore this important educational focus.

“STEM activities enable students to identify strategies for solving real-life problems. We have found it heightens the motivation of many students as it offers new forms of engagement through meaningful play and experimentation,” says Mr Smith. “Through STEM, they use technology in purposeful ways, and in ways that create meaningful projects that they care about.”

Robotics and coding begins in Prep classes with students advancing to Lego robotics from Year 2. The activities are carried out in the context of the broader curriculum. For example, during their unit of inquiry Design and Inventions, Year 3 students consider how coding can be used to make machines work. They build a Mars Rover robot and create the code to make it sense and move. Year 6 students design a product using a software design tool, build it using one of our 3D printers, and create a website to market it.

STEM Club is an optional ‘makerspace’ activity available to all students in Middle and Upper Primary levels. Held during lunchtime, sessions cater for different ages. One session per week is reserved for girls only. It provides an opportunity for collaborative construction in a creative environment. “STEM Club encourages students to discover explanation through experimentation and natural reflection. It promotes practices that embody personal, practical and functional objectives,” says Mr Smith.

Coding workshops are also available at Grimwade Club, the School’s after-school recreational activity and coaching programme. Here, students focus on programming, sequential thinking and problem solving. Led by programming and computer science experts, the workshops are extremely popular.


Wadhurst

Book Year at Wadhurst

Acclaimed poet and performer, Brian Nankervis (aka Raymond J. Bartholomeuz), was the first guest in Wadhurst’s Book Year 2017 programme.

“We have traditionally celebrated the Children’s Book Council’s Book Week in August. However, this year we aim to synchronise author visits with units of work within the curriculum. Celebrated and educative people will work with Wadhurst students throughout the year,” says Ms Susan Robertson, Deputy Director of Library Services.

The Book Year concept was devised by Ms Robertson who also manages the activities within it. “We are responding to the general capabilities section of the Australian Curriculum,” she explains. “Literature, or story, is a wonderful vehicle to explore other cultures, other lives, other relationships and social historical views and values. It not only has the potential to broaden one’s knowledge base, but it deepens one’s understanding of humanity and enriches one’s life.”

Brian Nankervis agrees that literature can be enriching. “Poetry, like all forms of the written word, is another way of expressing yourself, says Brian. “When trying to write a great poem, you have to isolate emotions and key words, and try to capture a story in a succinct way. It can be difficult but liberating, and sometimes fun as well. The boys seemed to relish the challenge.”

Brian visited each Year 8 English class and asked the students to write two diverse pieces of poetry – one of just three lines and another more serious reflection on an early memory.

A visit by noted Australian author, John Marsden, coincided with the study of his book ‘Tomorrow when the war began’ in Year 8 English classes. John participated in a student led Q & A session in which questions focused on how John became an author, inspiration for his books, editorial censorship, and more.

“Being able to meet the author added a new dimension to our study of ‘Tomorrow When the War Began’, allowing us to understand some of his thoughts and motivation behind writing the story,” says Year 8 student, William Anderson-Nunn. “His presentation has also given us new insights into the thought processes of a fictional novelist. He was very ‘down to earth’ and he explained how he based the central character on one of his real-life students, and how his inspiration for the series came unexpectedly one day.”

John has visited the School several times. He enjoyed the interaction with the group. “There is a sense of intellectual curiosity that is very strong amongst the students here at Melbourne Grammar,” he says. “They always ask probing and searching questions; they move beyond the superficial.”

“The value of meeting an author is that you learn about language, writing, and communication,” adds John. “Given that language is the most powerful tool that human beings have, anything that helps you become more fluent, more confident, and more articulate is going to be incredibly worthwhile.”

John is proud to note that his father and uncle both attended Melbourne Grammar School. (John was raised in Sydney and attended school there.)

“Interaction with the author of the book they are studying offers students an opportunity to gain a real depth of understanding of both the writing process and the ideas underpinning the piece of literature itself,” says Ms Robertson (pictured below with John Marsden).


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_J._Bartholomeuz

A shared drive to represent their country led elite English county cricket players, Tara Norris and Naomi Dattani, to Australia to play league cricket during the 2016/17 summer season. Melbourne Grammar School was fortunate to gain their services as Wadhurst cricket coaches during their stay.

“Their experience in playing Division One cricket in both Australia and England, together with their formidable coaching qualifications, made them obvious choices for Wadhurst cricket coaching roles,” says Mr Scott Whyte, Director of Sport.

The expertise Tara and Naomi brings is recognised by the players. “Tara and Naomi have a lot of cricket knowledge,” says Charlie Sorell, Year 7. “They take the time to understand our abilities and are really clever in how they help us improve.”

Both cricketers are impressed with Melbourne Grammar boys. “They really want to improve their game and work hard at it,” says Naomi. “There are some really good cricketers in the team and that keeps me on my toes, which I like.”

“We are both aiming to play for England in the future,” says Tara. “Coming to Australia helps us develop our game in different conditions and against new competitors.”

In addition to coaching at Melbourne Grammar, Tara and Naomi played for the Prahran Cricket Club in the top women’s cricket league in Victoria. Tara is a left arm pace opening bowler and Naomi is an opening batter. The pair were instrumental in the club winning the state T20 premiership in 2017, with Tara named Player of the Match in the championship game.

When in England, Tara plays for Sussex County Cricket Club, and Naomi for Middlesex County Cricket Club. Both women are in the England Cricket Pathway Development programme.

English cricketers bring expertise Year 7 in numbers

Total number of year 7 boys commencing at Wadhurst in 2017

Percentage of boys coming from primary schools other than Grimwade House

Number of primary schools the 2017 Year 7 cohort is drawn from

Percentage of boys whose father, grandfather or great‑grandfather attended the School

Percentage of boys who are the 4th generation (at least) in their family to attend the School

Number of suburbs boys live in. Naturally nearby suburbs are well represented (around 57%) but boys travel from as far afield as Ascot Vale, Coburg, Dandenong, Doncaster East and Point Cook.

173

57

50

43

6


Senior School

Introducing Tony Corr

As a teacher with more than 25 years of experience in boy’s education, Mr Tony Corr has guided countless students along their academic and personal journey. As the newly appointed Head of Staff Development in the Senior School, he now translates that support mechanism to teachers.

Fostering creativity is also important to Mr Corr. “If we promote opportunities for people to be creative, to ask questions, to think in new ways, then it is more likely that great ideas will surface,” says Mr Corr. “I’m a big believer that when people are given the chance to grow and to flourish, and are pushed out of their comfort zone a little, they get energy from that. They get excited about what they are doing and often become quite passionate about it.”

When questioned about his first impressions of the School, Mr Corr cites the sense of pride teachers feel about the School and about their own work. “It was immediately obvious to me that Melbourne Grammar staff love being here and they want the School and each individual boy to do well,” he says.

Mr Corr was formerly at Xavier College where he held many leadership positions. These include Head of Drama, Head of the Arts Faculty, Staff Development Co-ordinator and, most recently, the Dean of Operations.

“My role is essentially to assist Melbourne Grammar School teachers to be the best teachers they can be,” says Mr Corr. “This includes being involved in their induction and then helping them perform at the highest calibre when they are here.”

The introduction or change of any educational programme normally benefits from the provision of staff development or staff support, according to Mr Corr. “I work with teachers and other staff across the School to identify any professional needs or gaps and to deliver strategies to address them.”

“Melbourne Grammar clearly values its teaching staff very highly. This is reflected in many ways, including the obvious professional respect and trust which permeates the culture here,” he adds. “In return, the School expects teachers to be the best teaching practitioners they can be. It is my job to support teachers along a path of continuous improvement. There is always more to learn.”


Walk for WomenBanners flew high at the annual Walk for Women this year. Now in its eighth year, the event serves to assist in raising awareness about gender inequality and to signal opposition to violence against women and girls. “Gender disparity remains deeply entrenched in every society,” says Rich Bartlett, Co-Vice-Captain of School and Walk organiser. “It is important that there is a platform from which students can take a collective stand about this issue.”

Initiated by Melbourne Grammar School, the student-led programme seeks to involve other secondary schools in our immediate area in the initiative. People unite in their show of solidarity by walking around the Tan track together.

“We invite other schools to participate because we want to build long-lasting momentum and have some impact beyond Melbourne Grammar,” says Rich.

More than 500 students and staff took part in the event this year. Participating schools included Carey Baptist Grammar School, Melbourne Girls’ Grammar, Scotch College, Xavier College, Melbourne Girls’ College, Trinity Grammar School, Ruyton Girls School, MacRobertson Girls’ High School, Wesley College, Lauriston Girls’ School, St Catherine’s School, Korowa Anglican Girls’ School, St Kevin’s College, and Loreto Mandeville Hall.

Each participant made a donation to the United Nations Women’s organisation as part of their registration. The funds are subsequently used to support the implementation of laws, policies, and action plans to end violence against women and girls across the world.

“Women and girls are too often denied access to basic education and health care,” says Rich. “They suffer violence and subjugation all over the world. In addition, in Australia they still face occupational segregation and experience gender wage gaps. We must be visible in our opposition.”

“Activities of this nature bring important issues to the attention of members of the School community and beyond,” says Mr Nick Konstantatos, Teacher in Charge. “The School is very proud of the students involved in organising this programme, and of those community members who participated in it.”

New Business Speaker SeriesCorporate social responsibility is a theme which winds through many commerce-related subjects at Melbourne Grammar School. A new initiative aims to expose students to a range of social enterprises and to bring business textbook theories to life.

Complementing other ‘in class’ activities, the Business Speaker Series invites people from industry to share their business philosophies and practices with Melbourne Grammar students. “The focus of the series is mainly on local enterprises,” says Mrs Leanne Forbes, Head of Business Studies. “Drawing on local contacts, we are keen for students to understand the complexities and scope of business, including the very significant and important subject of corporate social responsibility.”

To illustrate this increasingly important concept, the first speaker in the Business Speaker Series was Marcus Godinho (OM 1987), CEO of FareShare. FareShare rescues surplus, quality food and cooks this food into 25,000 free meals a week for Victorian charities. “Our students are far more likely to move into entrepreneurial roles than ever before,” says Mrs Forbes. “Exposure to this concept of corporate social responsibility, as well as understanding how businesses are transformed and change is managed, helps students understand and move in this direction.”

While all sessions are curriculum-based, some are targeted at VCE Business Management Units 3 & 4 students; others have a broader scope.

Walk organiser, Rich Bartlett with one of the many participants


News

The victorious Tri-Grammar champions meet the Australian Cricket Captain, Steve Smith, on their journey home.

Tri-Grammar win

Melbourne Grammar School triumphed over Sydney Grammar School and Brisbane Grammar School in the 2017 Tri-Grammar Cricket Festival. Held in January each year since 1998, the three Schools come together to compete in one-day and two-day matches, along with a T20 competition.

The Festival is an extension of the oldest continuing interstate cricket match in Australia. First played in 1876 between Melbourne Grammar and Sydney Grammar, the historic match was held at the (then relatively new) Melbourne Cricket Ground. The match pre-dates the Ashes by more than five years.

Cricket matches have been held between the two rivals almost every year until 1998 when Brisbane Grammar was invited to join the competition. (No games were held during 1880-82, 1884, 1915-17, 1930-38 and 1942-44.) A match between the two original contenders forms part of the Tri-Grammar event.

Players of Melbourne Grammar and Sydney Grammar covet ‘the Bat’ – a symbolic trophy which was struck in 1976 to celebrate the centenary of the first game between them. It was signed by the members of both teams from that year. Many of the boys from both Schools who signed in 1976 have returned as parents of current players in recent years. Each year the name of the winning school is engraved on ‘The Bat’.

Scarsdale visitMelbourne Grammar School was fortunate to welcome the Scarsdale High School Symphonic Band to the School in February 2017. Hailing from New York, the Band is recognised for consistently high calibre performances of rigourous, challenging and progressive repertoires.

Of the 123 times Melbourne Grammar has played Sydney in these interstate tournaments, they have won 61 times. (Sydney Grammar has won 57 times, with four draws and one tie.)

Since the inception of the Tri-Grammar Shield, Melbourne Grammar has won on 10 occasions, with Brisbane Grammar winning six times and Sydney Grammar currently at five wins.

Joined on stage by Melbourne Grammar’s Senior Wind Ensemble, the groups presented an impressive concert which featured the music of both established and emerging composers from Australia and overseas.

“These interactions are important,” says Mr Colin Doley, Head of Brass at Melbourne Grammar. “They provide opportunities for our musicians to learn from others, to measure their standard against other performers and to get a sense that other people are on the same journey as they are.”

Melbourne Grammar’s Symphony Orchestra visited Scarsdale High School during its USA tour in 2014.


Berlin, Prague, and Vienna, three monuments of the musical world, welcomed the Melbourne Grammar School Symphony Orchestra in early December 2016 for their biennial Orchestral Tour. Music played, memories shared and friendships forged were innumerable in their count, as we embarked on an adventure of the highest musical calibre, through three cities unrivalled in richness of musical history.

Walking through city streets which once breathed music by the likes of Beethoven, Mozart, and Bach, to name a few, was a most humbling experience, and one that none of the students took for granted. Hours spent with bow on string and finger against key were not only valuable, but necessary, given the maturity of our repertoire, and the significance of the performance venues. Under the tutelage of the Melbourne Grammar music staff, our labour proved to be most fruitful, resulting in four concerts that delighted the ancient ears of cities all too familiar with the virtuosity of classical music.

Joint concerts were of particular note, showcasing the talent of local musicians who worked in collaboration with us to produce performances that all should be proud of. To find such a close community of teenagers, all of whom share the same profound love for classical music is a wonderful and rare opportunity, from which all the students benefited.

The unprecedented success of the tour can be attributed to the professionalism and positive attitude of the Melbourne Grammar Music Department and we’d like to thank all those involved – teachers, parents, and tour guides alike – for making the tour an unforgettably enjoyable experience.

Vincent Wang 2017 Music Captain

European Orchestra tour


News

Article to come

Building with bubblesThe Geoff Handbury Science and Technology Hub is using innovative building methods to reduce the building’s environmental footprint, increase energy and water efficiency, and speed up construction time.

Ready for student occupancy by the end of Term I 2018, the five-level building makes the most of bubble-deck technology. Used extensively in Europe, this approach replaces some of the concrete traditionally used in floor slabs with purpose-built plastic bubbles. It offers the School an advantage as it allows greater flexibility with internal floor plans – a real plus given the unconventional shape of the building. The bubbles also serve to lower the floor mass thereby allowing longer spans between structural columns. This means there are less columns and no structural concrete beams that would normally be required in a traditional slab construction.

There are also environmental benefits behind this choice of building construction. For every one kilogram of recycled plastic used to make the balls, 100 kilograms of concrete is replaced. In turn, this reduces the amount of CO2 being released into the atmosphere because the first step in making cement releases carbon dioxide.

The individual ‘biscuits’ that make up each floor slab are prefabricated off-site. Once laid, some bubbles are removed to allow service installation through the slab, and then concrete is poured in the remaining space. The scaffold frames and bearers and columns needed for the next level are formed and the process continues, translating to a quicker build.

Innovative thinking has also led to different approaches within the building. Laboratory plans are modelled on professional research labs, with services suspended from the ceiling rather than on the bench to allow large unobstructed workspaces for more involved experiments. Large communal laboratory benches are intended to facilitate peer-to-peer and collaborative learning.

1


1 Bubble-deck technology is being used to reduce the use of concrete in the building slabs

2 Building progress as at January 2017

3 Building progress as at March 2017

4 A bubble-deck 'biscuit' being installed

5 The careful retention of existing trees is part of the strategy to enhance the future vista of the building

2

3

4

5

Metro Tunnel updatesThe Victorian Government has launched the Melbourne Metro Rail Project (MMRP), which will result in the establishment of the Metro Tunnel.

The Metro Tunnel involves construction of two nine-kilometre twin rail tunnels, in addition to five new underground stations. One of these underground stations – Domain – is to be located on St Kilda Road, adjacent to Melbourne Grammar School. The station will include a tram ‘super stop’ above it.

Interested members of the Melbourne Grammar community are advised that regular updates about the impact of the Metro Tunnel on the School is provided in the News and Events section of the School website.


The Old Melburnians Council

Mr Andrew Brookes

It isn’t everyone that chooses to spend their 80th birthday at their old school. Not only did Richard Burman (OM 1955) spend his birthday at Melbourne Grammar, he was continuing in his long standing voluntary role of supervising make-up at School productions.

During his time at School, Richard participated in many School plays and in 1967 was asked to return to backstage to apply the greasepaint. With the exception of 1968, Richard has played a vital role in almost all productions including every Quad Play (see page 12). Richard’s commitment to the School, and that of the many other Old Melburnians who serve in a voluntary capacity is to be applauded.

Old Melburnians can contribute so much to the School albeit as a sports coach, on a School committee, on School Council, on The Old Melburnians Council, just to name a few examples.

Supporting current students and young graduates with career advice, support and work experience is another area in which Old Melburnians are contributing. The recent Face Your Future event (see opposite) relied on the wisdom and experience of 13 OMs who spoke with students about their career journeys. The more OMs who provide this type of insight, the more confident we can be that our young OMs understand that career paths are often not linear.

Of course, OMs can support students and young graduates through financial mechanisms as well. Nic Bills (OM 2014) was the worthy recipient of The Old Melburnians Dick Cotton Fellowship. Information about this award is given on the opposite page.

If you wish to contribute to existing programmes, or have an idea about how you could contribute in a new way, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me. I would welcome your contact.

Andrew Brookes President

Coffee, conversation and careersYear 12 students recently had the opportunity to quiz Old Melburnians about their career paths and occupations at the inaugural Face your Future event.

Organised in small groups, 40 boys and 13 Old Melburnians met over breakfast, with the boys moving between tables at certain intervals.

“There is no better way to understand whether a career could be of relevance to you than by talking with someone who is actually doing it,” says Andrew Tulloch (OM 1986), Face your Future participant and Old Melburnian Council member. “I found boys to be really interested to talk to people who are in the work force. This gives them a basis for their own decision making about whether certain paths will appeal to them.”

Andrew’s positive stance about the event was shared by students. “The event was really worthwhile because it gave us real world perspectives on potential careers,” says Jonathon Kinsella, Year 12. “Even if students don’t have an idea about what they want to do, they can see how others have approached tertiary education and their future after university.

The event was jointly organised by the School and by The Old Melburnians as part of the Career Insights programme.


The Old Melburnians Dick Cotton FellowshipThe aim of The Old Melburnians Dick Cotton Fellowship is to provide younger Old Melburnians with the financial support and encouragement to undertake travel, study and/or a project which provides a unique opportunity for self-development and discovery that goes beyond the benefits offered by a higher education.

Furthermore, it is hoped that Fellows will become ambassadors within the wider School community and, in particular, role models to students upon completion of their Fellowship year.

The award is a grant of up to $5,000.

Applications for the annual award open each year on 1 July and close on 30 September.

For further information and application forms, please contact Judith Mein, Alumni & Community Coordinator [email protected]

Fellowship supports Cambodia tripNic Bills (OM 2014) was the recipient of The Old Melburnians Dick Cotton Fellowship in 2016. He used the grant to fund a trip to Cambodia. Here is his account of his journey.

In December 2016, I co-led 17 Australian National University Law students through Siem Reap, Battambang & Phnom Penh where we met up with legally-focused NGOs. The aim was to learn more about the Cambodian legal system and the issues it faces, such as widespread corruption and inequality.

North Korea is the only country in our region more corrupt than Cambodia, according to Transparency International, and it is this, and my previous Melbourne Grammar Values in Action visit to Cambodia, which encouraged me to help plan an educational tour of this misunderstood country.

Through our project, we met with organisations including the UN High Commission, The Australian Embassy, and Legal Aid Cambodia. We were presented with more than 40 hours of information. They spoke about numerous issues plaguing the country, from corruption to human rights abuse and domestic violence.

The message which was brought home most clearly for me was that Cambodia must improve its dysfunctional rule of law and order to begin repairing its country, which is incredibly difficult considering the main beneficiaries of their current system are the ones who have the power to change it.

I was particularly moved by the Law students we met with, who all wanted to specialise in land rights so they could protect their community from illegal land acquisition by big business and the government- both of whom are taking advantage of the fact that almost all land title records were destroyed during the Khmer Rouge regime.

By the end of the trip, the other students and I found ourselves asking what tangible difference we could make in a country with such entrenched corruption. Almost every NGO we visited invited us to come and volunteer with them in Cambodia or in their Australian office. This is definitely something that I will to look into. There are also relevant internships available through the United Nations.

I would like to thank The Old Melburnians for awarding me the Dick Cotton Fellowship and allowing me to foster the School’s core values.

Nic is currently in his third year of studying Law/Business Administration at ANU. He hopes to have a career in management and legal consultancy. Nic has a particular interest in equality before the law.



WeddingsCongratulations

The Grammar community is pleased to congratulate the following couple who recently celebrated their marriages in the Chapel of St Peter:

17 December 2016Anthony (Tony) Dickinson (OM 2005) & Natasha Wilson

21 Jan 2017Oliver Warne (OM 2000) & Alexandra Foxcroft

Community News

AFL newsDylan Clarke (OM 2016) was selected by Essendon FC during the 2016 NAB AFL Draft Combine. He joined Zach Merrett (OM 2013), now Vice-Captain at the club. Zach won the W. S. Crichton Medal as the club’s best and fairest player in 2016, becoming the youngest player in 35 years to win the award.

Ben Long (OM 2016) was picked up by St Kilda FC during the Draft where Ameet Bains (OM 1995) holds the position Chief Operating Officer & General Counsel. Ben is playing alongside Hugh Goddard (OM 2014).

Jack Maibaum (OM 2016) was drafted to the Sydney Swans FC. He joined Shaun Edwards (OM 2011) who transferred to Sydney in late 2016.

Steven May (OM 2010) is Co-captain of the Gold Coast Suns this year. David Cuningham (OM 2015) made his senior debut in the latter part of the 2016 season with Carlton FC.

Jack swims for AustraliaElite athlete, Jack Gerrard (OM 2012), represented Australia at the 2016 FINA Swimming World Championships competing in two individual and two relay events. He was a member of the 4x100m Freestyle Relay Bronze medal winning team. In addition to his swimming commitments, Jack also studies medicine at Monash University.

Katherine Michelmore (OM 2012) is currently participating in Rowing Australia’s high performance training team in preparation for the Tokyo Olympic Games. Based in the National Training Centre in Penrith, Katherine has put her Bachelor of Engineering/Bachelor of Design studies at Monash University on hold for the moment.

Katherine will be joined by Jessica Morrison (OM 2010) early next year. Jessica was an Australian representative at the Rio Olympic Games. “I’ve actually taken this year off rowing to study, with the hope to have my MBA completed in early 2018. At that point, I will move to Penrith and train for the Worlds Championships to be held next year and, in the long term, the Tokyo Olympics,” says Jessica.

Elite skiing success

Nick Montgomery (OM 2011) continues to excel as a cross country skier, coming an impressive 20th in the 10km Cross Country race at the 2017 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships. Nick is part of the Australian Cross Country team and raced competitively across Europe during the European winter.

Parks award

Neil McCarthy (OM 1977) was awarded the second World Urban Parks Distinguished Individual Award by the World Urban Parks Organisation in 2016. He was recognised for his contribution to urban parks and the development and promotion of the Healthy Parks Healthy People concept.

Neil is currently CEO, North East Catchment Management Authority and holds positions on numerous professional bodies and organisation boards.

High performance OMs


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._S._Crichton_Medalhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._S._Crichton_Medalhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Best_and_fairesthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Best_and_fairesthttps://www.linkedin.com/title/ceo?trk=pprofile_title

ObituariesThe School has learnt of the following deaths in our community. We extend our sympathy to their families and friends.

Barnes, B G (OM 1949)

Begg, J D (OM 1962)

Christensen, P C (OM 1962)

Cordner, J P (OM 1946)

Gamble, A A (OM 1954)

Grage, A (OM 1958)

Grummet AM, A D (OM 1944)

Harris, F W (OM 1939)

Howitt, G H (OM 1951)

Hyslop, N M (OM 1937)

Johnson, V M (OM 1948)

Langford, I F (OM 1954)

Mead, M B (OM 1949)

Monks, J S (OM 1947)

Nutt, R J C (OM 1941)

O’Byrne, G B (OM 1947)

Perry, M E B (OM 1969)

Smithers, A A (OM 1952)

Stidson, G (OM 1947)

Trumble, C C (OM 1940)

OM attends Royal Reception

Call for Lawn Bowlers

Members of the Melbourne Grammar community who are Lawn Bowlers or are interested in learning the game are invited to join The Old Melburnians Bowls Club (OMBC).

Bowlers of all ages and skills are welcome at the Club. Old Melburnians, past or current members of staff, together with parents and grandparents of current or past students are eligible to join the Club.

The Club plays a fixture of 12 matches per season during October to April. Games are played mid-week on Wednesday or Thursday afternoons. The matches are against other public school teams and sporting clubs.

It is a great way to keep in contact with the School and to possibly catch up with old friends. The Club would be delighted to hear from anyone who is interested, knowing they would be made most welcome.

For more information contact: Malcolm Chestney (OM 1949) Club Secretary +61 3 9592 6965 or [email protected]

Retired physicist, Dr Andrew Prentice (OM 1961), attended a Reception at Buckingham Palace, London on 1 December 2016. Hosted by Her Royal Highness, Princess Anne, the Reception was for, among others, former recipients of scholarships from the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851. Dr Prentice was awarded an overseas scholarship in 1967-1970 to study theoretical astrophysics at Oxford University.

“I was fortunate to be introduced to both The Princess Royal and to the Duke of Edinburgh,” says Dr Prentice. “She was most impressed to learn that I had given a talk about Pluto and the Dwarf Planets to the Astrophysics Group at Imperial College London earlier in the day.”

Dr Andrew Prentice wears the Old Melburnian tie when meeting Her Royal Highness, Princess Anne


Australia Day Honours

Community News

There is no question that Campbell Rose AM (OM 1982) has had an exceptional corporate career but, speaking with him, you get the sense that the aspect of his professional life of which he is most proud is his contribution to the community.

Awarded an Australian Sports Medal in 2000, Campbell received a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in recognition of his ‘significant service to sports administration, to infrastructure and transport development, and to the community of Victoria’ as part of the 2017 Australia Day Honours.

Trust and integrity lie at the heart of all successful relationships according to Campbell. “Whether the relationship is within your family, at work, in the community, in sport, or amongst peers, without mutual trust, it just won’t work,” he says. “And to build trust you must be honest, forthright and transparent. Integrity is the at the core of all of my decision making.”

Campbell believes that self-belief is also crucial. “Melbourne Grammar taught me that, if you have self-belief, you can achieve things that, on the surface, appear to be out of reach,” says Campbell. “I was by no means the best sportsman at Grammar,” he adds, “but through hard work, commitment, and dedication I found myself in a Head of the River winning crew.” Also an accomplished sailor, Campbell has represented Australia at the Olympic Games (as a yachtsman) and in the America’s Cup.

Campbell is currently the Chief Executive of VicTrack, the Victorian government statutory authority responsible for managing some $32billion of the State’s railway and tram based assets.

He is a Director of the Victoria University Foundation and the Western Bulldogs Forever Foundation, as well as the Founding Chairman of the Australian Melanoma Consumer Alliance (AMCA) amongst other community based roles.

Associate Professor Gary Richardson OAM MBBS FRACP (OM 1975) believes he may well have the best job in the world because, simply speaking, he cures cancer. But Gary does far more than that. An eminent oncologist, Gary is the Director of Cabrini Academic Haematology & Oncology Service, runs a clinical research programme at Monash University and is involved in the education programme for emerging clinicians.

“In the end, you want to feel that you have made a contribution to humanity,” says Gary. “Doing something positive – albeit training a medical student or being involved in the delivery of a breakthrough cancer drug, is far more important to me than making money. I wake up looking forward to my work every day.”

Gary was recognised for his extensive contribution to his profession in the Australia Day Honours, being awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) ‘for service to medicine, particularly in the area of oncology.’

“Medical oncology was a relatively new speciality when I commenced my medical training,” explains Gary. “The five-year survival rate for cancer was around 40%. Its almost 70% now. I really enjoy working with patients, but the research and professional development component of the profession is also incredibly satisfying, as it contributes to the ongoing improvement of survival rates.”

Gary was instrumental in the establishment of Foundation 49 – a not for profit organisation which aims to improve men’s health. “At a certain point, I decided that I wanted to invest in trying to improve health from a preventative perspective,” says Gary. Foundation 49 focuses on promoting good health and wellbeing in men by encouraging regular checks with their local doctor and covering all aspects of health during the session.

“I’ve always enjoyed working hard. I like intensity and new challenges,” says Gary. “I’m pleased that I have been able to use these attributes in the service of others.”


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VicTrack

Join in the Centenary Celebrations

Grimwade House students in 1918.

Grimwade House celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2018. We hope you can join in the centenary celebrations.

The home ‘Harleston’ (built in 1875) and grounds of the Grimwade Family were gifted to Melbourne Grammar School in 1917 by four Grimwade brothers, all of whom were Old Melburnians.

Converted to a Preparatory Day and Boarding School, Grimwade House opened on 28 February 1918 with 152 boys - 120 day and 32 boarding students. Girls were welcomed at Grimwade House in 1979.

We are planning a range of events and activities during the year for all members of School community.

Seeking archival contributionsIn preparation for the anniversary celebrations, we are seeking Grimwade House-related stories, photographs, records and memorabilia which may fill gaps in our collection. We would be delighted to hear from you if you can provide (or lend) items of note. Materials will be used for 100th anniversary displays and publications.

To make a contribution of Grimwade House archival material, please contact: Luisa Moscato School Archivist: [email protected]

Other Melbourne Grammar School community 2017 Australia Day Honour recipients include:

Dr Graeme Blackman AO (Past parent and past School Council member)For distinguished service to the pharmaceutical industry, to scientific research and policy development, to theological education and the Anglican Church of Australia, and to aged care.

The Hon John Brumby AO (OM 1970)For distinguished service to the Parliament of Victoria, to economic management and medical biotechnology innovation, to improved rural and regional infrastructure, and to the community.

Mr Brian Watson AO (Past parent)For distinguished service to business and finance through leadership roles in the investment and venture capital sectors, as a philanthropist, and supporter of social welfare and medical research organisations.

Mr Leon Serry AM (OM 1951)For significant service to the biotechnology industry, to the development and commercialisation of biomedical science.

Dr David Holloway OAM (OM 1960)For service to military history organisations.

Mr Michael Lawrence OAM (OM 1970)For service to education, to youth, and to the community.

Mr William Lye OAM (Parent)For service to the law, to business, and to the promotion of cultural diversity.

Mr William Wheeldon OAM (OM 1956)For service to local government, and to the community of Wentworth.

Prof Michael Ackland PSM (OM 1967) For outstanding public health service through contributions to the health and wellbeing of people in Victoria.


Community News

Celebrating 150th Head of the River

Bow: Ben Coombs (OM 2009) Head of the River winner 2009 Australian U23 representative dual Kings Cup champion

2: Matt Ridgeway (OM 2009) Head of the River winner 2009 Australian U23 representative

3: Jack Robinson (OM 2011)

4: Sam Bongiorno (OM 2013)

5: David Crawshay (OM 1997) Head of the River winner 1997 Olympic Gold medallist

6: Jordan Hooper (OM 2010) Australian U23 representative Head of the River winner 2009

7: Sam Hookway (OM 2009) Head of the River winner 2009 Australian U23 representative Kings Cup champion;

Str: Joshua Hooper (OM 2007) Cambridge Uni and Kings Cup Australian U23 representative Kings Cup representative

Cox: Michael-Henri Skala (OM 2014)

Coach: John Michelmore (OM 1979) Head of the River winner 1979

The Alumni Open crew

Old Melburnian rowers from across the decades recently came together to mark the 150th rowing of the Head of the River.

Held during the 2017 Australian Henley Regatta, a ‘row-past’ commemorative race re-enacted the original race between Melbourne Grammar School and Scotch College, with other crews joining the race in the order that they began in the competition. The Melbourne Grammar crew rowed down the Yarra in a clinker four, a fixed-seat boat, built in 1913 and borrowed from Anglesea Rowing Club.

Old Melburnians also formed four crews for the special Alumni races held on the day. Of note was our Open Crew made up of former Olympians, Australian representatives and other elite rowers. Perhaps not surprising, the crew won their race.

Other members of the Melbourne Grammar community were also present at the event including Mr Tony Smith (OM 1949). Tony was a member of the winning 1949 Head of the River crew. In addition to his long career teaching at Melbourne Grammar, Tony coached our rowing teams for around 50 years. Tony also initiated the Melburnia Club, the School’s rowing club.

It was also a pleasure to see Walter Rotter, who was responsible for the upkeep of Melbourne Grammar boats for many years.

The Old Melburnian component of the Regatta was organised by John Michelmore (OM 1979) and Stephen Blakeney (OM 2009), both of whom are previous Head of the River winners.

Mr Tony Smith (OM 1949), member of 1949 Head of the River crew and former Melbourne Grammar School coach

The Alumni Open crew celebrate their win


Save the date – Friday 16 June 2017150th Head of the River Combined Dinner at the MCG

For more information contact Judith Mein, Alumni and Community Coordinator [email protected]

The ‘row past’ crew

Cox: David Colvin (OM 1979) Australian representative; Kings Cup cox

Str: Nick Foster (OM 2016) Head of the River winner 2016

3: Stephen Blakeney (OM 2009) Head of the River winner 2009

2: Jim Kiellerup (OM 1980) Head of the River winner 1979, 1980; Kings Cup representative

Bow: Richard Larkins (OM 1960) World and Australian Masters champion

The Alumni Masters crew

From left: Brad Irvine (OM 1977); Chris Burge (OM 1978); Patrick Hilditch (OM 1978 and Head of the River winner 1999); Andrew Perkins (OM 1977); Andrew Birnie (OM 1978); Mal Hooper (OM 1978); Tony Langford (OM 1978); Andrew Maughan (OM 1979 and Head of the River winner 1979); Nicholas Bate (OM 1977) In front: Walter Rotter, former Melbourne Grammar boat builder

About Head of the RiverIn 1868, Scotch College challenged Melbourne Grammar School to a rowing race down the Yarra River. This was not the first time the Schools had competed in a rowing race – that occurred in 1859. However, it was the first race to be designated Head of the River.

Since then, Head of the River regattas have been held almost annually (races were suspended during some war years). Venues have included both the Upper and Lower Yarra, Albert Park Lake, Barwon River, Henley and, its current location, Nagambie.

Wesley College was the first school to join Melbourne Grammar and Scotch in the competition in 1871. Geelong Grammar School began racing in 1875, Xavier College in 1904 and Geelong College in 1908. Eleven schools competed in the 2017 APS Heads of the River Regatta.

From 1868 to 1897, the races were rowed in string-test gigs, with fixed seats (all backs and arms!). From 1898 to 1900, crews were in best fours with sliding seats and since 1901, in clinker out-rigged eights with sliding seats. Carvel boats have been permitted since 1947.

Melbourne Grammar has claimed the title of Head of the River 28 times during its 150-race history.



Community Events

1 John Hasker (OM 1957), former President of The Old Melburnians Council and former Chairman of School Council at the 1957 Reunion

2 1957 Reunion attendees assemble in front of Witherby Tower

3 Peter Daddo (OM 1957), 1957 School Captain proposes a toast to the School at the 1957 Reunion

4 David Smart (OM 1957), former President of The Old Melburnians Council at the 1957 Reunion

5 1957 Reunion attendees tour the School

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6 John Dale (OM 1947) proposes a toast to the School at the 1947 reunion

7 1947 Reunion attendees

8 Bruce Fordham (OM 1947) leads the 1947 Reunion attendees in singing the Games song

9 Graeme Mollison (OM 1947) talks with Mr Roy Kelley, Headmaster, at the 1947 Reunion

10 1947 Reunion luncheon

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Friends of Grammar

The main purpose of Friends of Grammar is to encourage and foster the involvement of parents in all facets of School life, to help promote goodwill amongst parents and teachers, as well as raising money for the School. But mainly what we do is “friend raise”. Our main role is to get parents involved in what is happening in the School.

Melbourne Grammar has a strong and truly diverse community and we believe that inclusion is an important part of its successful culture. We could not exist without the generous volunteers who give up their time to support us across our three campuses. We are extremely grateful for the time given, either by attending or volunteering at events and programmes run at school.

These volunteers include:

• FOG Committee Members at Grimwade, Wadhurst and Senior School, including volunteers of our sub-committees

• Grimwade Class and Year Level Representatives, and House Representatives at Wadhurst and Senior School

• Parent volunteers who help support our Values in Action Programme run through Senior School, including the three breakfast programmes we help support around Melbourne

• Parent volunteers who help staff our café at Edwin Flack Park

• Parent volunteers from Wadhurst and Senior School who help facilitate the Boarders Buddy Programmes in our Boarding Houses, pairing new boarders with day boys and their families to help ensure a smooth transition into Melbourne Grammar

We could not exist without this incredible support and generosity.

Upcoming Events: This year our whole school event will be a Mother’s Day Lunch, which will be held on Friday 12 May, 2017 at The Glasshouse. We do hope you can attend, it is a wonderful opportunity for both parents of current students and past parents to come together as a whole school community. It is always a wonderful afternoon.

The Wadhurst Family Breakfast will be held on Thursday 22 June, 2017 at 7am in the Wadhurst Hall for families at Wadhurst.

If you would like more information on how to get involved, please do not hesitate to contact me on [email protected]

We look forward to sharing a fabulous 2017 with you.

Kate Anstee 2017 President FOG Senior School

Maria Pipiris, 2017 President FOG Wadhurst; Kate Anstee, 2017 President FOG Senior School; Sarah Sefton, 2017 President FOG Grimwade House



From the Archives


An ensign is a flag or standard which indicates nationality, especially for military or naval ships. British Merchant ships have flown the British Red Ensign to designate their nationality since 1707. Bearing this flag, these ships played a key role in WWI, transporting troops overseas and keeping the nation supplied with foodstuffs and raw materials in the face of enemy attacks resulting in the loss of numerous lives and ships. In recognition of this service, British merchant ships were designated the ‘Merchant Navy’ by King George V.

Melbourne Grammar School was the proud recipient of a British Red Ensign in 1928 which had previously hung in London in commemoration of those who have given their lives in service of their country. The Melburnian excerpt (see right) explains the story. Hanging in The Old Melburnians War Memorial Hall until the 1960s, the Ensign was taken down during renovations to the Hall. (The flag-pole remains in its horizontal position towards the front left of the Hall.) Since then, as a significant object, it has remained in the School Archives collection.

The Ensign was recently unfurled by Luisa Moscato, School Archivist (pictured above left with Penny Richards-Fowler, Alumni and Community Relations Manager), to check its condition to determine whether it could be re-hung. Unfortunately, being a linen flag, it has been deemed too fragile for ongoing exposure and duly returned to Archives.

The British Red Ensign

Excerpt from The Melburnian, 1929

Unfurling of the Flag in The Old Melburnians War Memorial Hall

On Anzac Day, 25 April 1929, at the assembly of the whole School in the Memorial Hall, a flag which had been flown on the London Cenotaph* was unfurled in the Hall by Mr. J. Henning Thompson#, the President of The Old Melburnians.

Mr. Thompson said that the Cenotaph in Whitehall was the London Memorial to the Empire’s dead, and at its base, the King each year places a wreath in memory of those who fell. Attached to each side of the Cenotaph are three flags, which are renewed every year, and the old flags are presented to institutions which are deemed worthy. The Red Ensign Flag presented to the School, was flown on the Cenotaph during Armistice Day for 1928, and twelve months previously.

At the instigation of Mr. H. H. Pounds##, the honorary secretary of the English branch of The Old Melburnians, and

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